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ESPN...Isiah may be fired soon!!!

It's just speculation but please let this be true.

All Over For Isiah In Madison Square Garden? Might Be
By Chris Sheridan
ESPN.com
(Archive)
NEW YORK -- This might have been it. This might have been Isiah Thomas' last game as head coach of the New York Knicks.

Before we go any further, let's go back and emphasize the word might. Having covered Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan and his New York Knickerbockers up close and personal for as long as we have, which is more than a decade, we have learned one universal truth: If it involves Dolan and the Knicks, err on the side of caution and choose illogic over logic.

So with that specific caveat dispensed, we'll go back to our original thought and explain just why we grew inclined to believe over the course of a strange, illogical Monday -- even by Knicks' standards -- why the end seems to be at hand for the architect and head coach of one of the NBA's charter franchises.

Reason No. 1: Dolan attended the Knicks' 100-88 loss to the New Orleans Hornets along with Garden president Steve Mills and vice president of communications Barry Watkins. Mills did not sit in his usual seat next to Dolan during the game, but he did accompany Dolan on a postgame visit to the coach's office, the threesome staying for only a few brief moments before walking stonefaced past reporters as they exited the building.

Asked during the game whether Dolan had any plans to speak to the media anytime soon, Watkins text-messaged back: "We're taking things one day at a time."

Reason No. 2: The Stephon Marbury situation. Thomas told reporters at the team's morning shootaround that Marbury would be attending the game Monday night and would speak with reporters. When a Marbury-related question was posed to Thomas 90 minutes prior to tipoff, he deflected it by saying "you can ask him yourself."

When this reporter followed up by pointing out that there was one Marbury-related question that only Thomas himself could answer -- whether Thomas had placed any restriction on Marbury from attending home games or speaking to the media -- Thomas stood up before the question was finished being asked and left the room. Team beat writers said it was the fourth time in his past seven media availability sessions that Thomas had ended things by abruptly walking away.

Marbury never showed up. Perhaps he had a reason, or perhaps the Knicks were creating a diversion and/or spinning the blame Marbury's way by making him look like a no-show following reports late last week -- which still have not been directly addressed in any kind of detail by the Knicks -- that Marbury had been told not to attend home games.

A source close to the situation confirmed to ESPN.com that Marbury was indeed told to stay away, although the Knicks reversed course Monday and told Marbury he was free to attend. Thomas would not answer afterward when asked if Marbury would be fined or suspended for missing the game.

Reason No. 3: Dolan's ego, and the Knicks' desire to keep their owner from being ridiculed. We're getting close to the one-year anniversary (March 11) of Dolan rewarding Thomas with a multi-year contract extension, which means we're close to several days worth of columns skewering Dolan's dubious decision in the New York media.

But if Thomas exits the picture in the next day or two, the topic then changes to "Well, at least Dolan finally came to his senses." In a corporate culture at Madison Square Garden where spinning the media coverage is of paramount importance, this reason may outweigh the others all by itself.

Reason No. 4: The horror show on the court. The Knicks only trailed New Orleans by four points with 1:08 left, yet by the time a timeout was called just 32 seconds later, an alley-oop dunk (Chris Paul to Tyson Chandler) and a three-point play by Paul (who was not being defended by the one player on the Knicks quick enough to defend him, Nate Robinson, because Thomas had removed Robinson with 1:33 left) had made it a nine-point game, sending the crowd streaming toward the exits.

Morris Peterson added a 3-pointer with 12 seconds left for the final margin. The loss dropped New York a season-high 24 games under .500, and the Mendoza line -- matching Larry Brown's 23 wins when he was coach of the Knicks two years ago -- might become increasingly difficult to reach with each passing loss.

So there you have it, four reasons to back up the premise that this might have been Isiah's last game with the Knicks. That doesn't mean you should necessarily look for him to be fired Tuesday, because it would be just like Dolan to leave everyone twisting in the wind for another day and drop the axe sometime late in the afternoon Wednesday. That, after all, was the way things went down four years ago when Dolan got rid of Don Chaney, who coached the Knicks at the morning shootaround that fateful day but found out he was getting fired as he wrote the game plan on the greaseboard two hours prior to tipoff.

Legend has it that security guards escorted Chaney from the building that evening, although the Knicks have always insisted that's not how it happened.

Exactly how and exactly when the end comes for Thomas -- and whether he gets the security guard escort -- will remain a mystery for the moment, but plenty of signs were there Monday pointing to an end that could be upon us at any hour, any day.

I find it funny for the first time this year Isiah does the right thing and gives most of his last game as the Knicks coach minuts to the young kids! Ha serves him right! We should have fired him right after the trade deadline where he did nothing to either improve the team or create a little more cap space for us. Who knew how much it would hurt him by pulling out Nate late last night. haha I love it, I just hope it's not just another rumor and he is finally gone this time! Coach Herb Williams.... for now. Or maby Isiah stays to the end of the season we lose all our remaining games and hope to hit the jackpot in this years draft followed by the banishment of Isiah Thomas from anything Basketball related.(F-ed up thing is that the bastard will probably go into coaching collage... any guesses where? starts with I and end with A)

Damn the team i hate the most is going to be the champs this give it up to the boston celtics who just signed sam casell

Sam is the Man, but dont count out Lebron James Cavs in a series, and Billups, RIP, and Prince in a series. The Nets have the roster to beat the Boston Celtics but the Nets is stuck with an Interim Coach in Frank.

The Knicks vs Hornets game the 4th Quarter showed all the reason why Isiah Thomas should be FIRED ASAP.

Everyone have to admitt that Coach Isiah Thomas made some bonehead moves down the stretch of a game the Knicks had a chance to WIN without using Isiah Thomas 2007-8 experimental Problem of Curry & Zach.

The MSG Crowd Roared and knew instantly that taking Nate Robinson out of the game was a bonehead move by Isiah Thomas with less than 2 minutes left in the game. Isiah Pet player Jefferies should've been the player taking out and replaced by Rookie Wilson Chandler, and Curry should've been taking out and replaced by Morris or Malik whom would not have let an alley-oop pass get to the Hornets Center Chandlor.

When Malik rebounded and threw the ball to Chandler whom started the fastbreak and the only teammate to run down court with Chandler on the fast break was Nate that was a sign for Coach Isiah to call a timeout because Malik, Jefferies, and Crawford was bone tired. And the only player that asked to come out was Malik Rose.

Was Dolan & Mills presence in MSG the only reason why Rookie Randolph Morris and Wilson Chandler receive playingtime this season?
Randolph Morris and Wilson Chandler showed great promise in the 4th quarter, although they may have been rusty from sitting on the bench all season long, plus got caught out their for some tangle mistakes they should have learned eary in the season with playingtime. I give the Two Rookies their Props, although I wish the Tazman (Balkman) was on the court with them rather than Jefferies.
Players Balkman, Nate, and Lee, worked out with the two Rookies throughout the entire offseason in scrimage games and have a better grasp of the rookies talents. Why assistant coach Hannerty does not bring this to Isiah attention or is Isiah to boneheaded to want to WIN...

At first i got a hard on (no homo) until i thought about it, as the article pointed out when most owners would do the logical thing Dolan does the illogical thing. I think if the Knicks can put together a win streak maybe Isiah will get fired.

We all agree this is long over due, and I think we all agree this is extremely unlikely too. All signs point to Isiah being fired, but like the article said, Dolan has his own logic. I would say the fact that Steve Mills accompanied Dolan does warrent some interest, but they could have been discussing the whole Marbaury situation. I doubt they fired him last night, Peter Vescey would have broke the story by now.

I'm far from an Isiah guy but Nate took 2 consecutive bad shots that's why he got pulled out. And before you fire back i'm well aware ever shot Crawford takes is bad, but the fact of the matter was Nate revertd back to old Nate so i would have pulled him to.

They might as well let Herb have the team the rest of the year, and if somehow goes on a crazy record you give him the job (i love herb but i don't think he's an NBA head coach) if not you fire the whole staff and either bring in an established hard nosed no-nonsene coach or you bring in a young guy like a Billy Donovon.

And please nobody post bring back Van Gundy, because he won't come back to work for Dolan

I'm far from an Isiah guy but Nate took 2 consecutive bad shots that's why he got pulled out. And before you fire back i'm well aware ever shot Crawford takes is bad, but the fact of the matter was Nate revertd back to old Nate so i would have pulled him to.

They might as well let Herb have the team the rest of the year, and if somehow goes on a crazy record you give him the job (i love herb but i don't think he's an NBA head coach) if not you fire the whole staff and either bring in an established hard nosed no-nonsene coach or you bring in a young guy like a Billy Donovon.

And please nobody post bring back Van Gundy, because he won't come back to work for Dolan

ONe of his shots wasnt that bad, and yes Crawford does take bad shots all the time but hes Isiahs son so he gets a pass.

Isiah will probably not be fired until after the season. It was already stated since the beginning of the season that he only had 1 more year to make this right. Not only did he not make it right, but he's got this team going backwards. I can't put all the blame on him even though he's the one who brought these losers here.

See what really is ****ing pissing me off is that dolan is too ****ing dumb to realize that isiah ****ing sucks the knicks ****ing suck except for david lee and should sell the knicks to a ****ing capable owner. Possibly a 1st grader? could do better than ****ing dolan... biggest dumbass EVER. Isiah refuses to make comments without licking his ****ing lips Isiah ****ing realize you blow big dick and should shoot yourself and bring dolan with you.

At first i got a hard on (no homo) until i thought about it, as the article pointed out when most owners would do the logical thing Dolan does the illogical thing. I think if the Knicks can put together a win streak maybe Isiah will get fired.

What you forget is that everybody waits for Dolan to do something illogical, so now it is truly illogical to do something logical (at least for him).

I'm far from an Isiah guy but Nate took 2 consecutive bad shots that's why he got pulled out. And before you fire back i'm well aware ever shot Crawford takes is bad, but the fact of the matter was Nate revertd back to old Nate so i would have pulled him to.

They might as well let Herb have the team the rest of the year, and if somehow goes on a crazy record you give him the job (i love herb but i don't think he's an NBA head coach) if not you fire the whole staff and either bring in an established hard nosed no-nonsene coach or you bring in a young guy like a Billy Donovon.

the first thing they should do is bringing in a McKinsey-advisor to clean up the whole organisation. this franchise not only has a problem with the coaching-staff.